Ranger's Birthday Surprise: Caden Style
by mybrowneyes
Summary: It is Ranger's birthday and his children want to surprise him with a party. Can they? They think they can and Caden has back-up to help.
1. Chapter 1

**The character JE created are hers, but Caden is from my imagination. It has been awhile for me and I want to thank all who contact me and keeping reading my stories. Life has been hectic and now my daughter will be a junior in high school; Thanks again, Lee Anne**

**Ranger's Birthday Surprise**

**A few weeks before Ranger's birthday:**

Stephanie looked up from the searches she had run in Ranger's home office hearing footsteps. Since it was Summer, she worked from home to be with their children. Her husband had left for Rangeman earlier before any of the younger Manosos had opened an eye.

"Steph," Julie said standing in front of the desk holding Aubrey's hand with Ben, Danni, Caden, and Cassidy. They had that look like their heads were all together with a plan in the works. Even Zeus and Athena the cat had that look. Her toddler went running to her Mother's arms. "Dad's birthday is in a few weeks."

"It is," she agreed nodding.

"We need to do something special for it."

Black bespectacled Caden spoke up waving his arms above his head, "We need a party! A surprise one for Ranger-Dad!"

"A surprise party?" Stephanie knew how much Ranger loved surprise parties. About as much as a hang nail.

"Yes!" was one big cheer.

"Dad will love it if we throw him a birthday party, Steph," the oldest Manoso daughter hoped her step-mother would come over to the children s' side of thinking.

"This is your father you are talking about. Do you think he won't find out?"

"Mommy," her growing genius was on top of it, "he'll never know. We got it covered and I think we should have a Cuban party."

"A Cuban party?" Ranger was really going to be surprised.

"Yeah," Caden told her, "we are Cuban you know because you married Ranger-Dad. I always wanted to cook Cuban."

How could she say "No" to the children wanting to do this for her Bad-Ass husband who did drive an RV at times . "Why not!" If Ranger did find out, she knew he would go along with it for his children. "Let's keep it small with just us."

"No problem, Mommy. Just us for eats and I'll bake a big cake for the family."

Julie handed Stephanie a list. "That's what we need for the party."

Caden picked up Ranger's office phone pushing a button. Never saying a word she waited.

"Cuban Grandma, I'm going to cook Cuban for Ranger-Dad's birthday. I need recipes and help. OK, I'll call you back when I plan the menu. Bye." He disconnected and pushed another button. "Grandma, I'm baking for Ranger-Dad's birthday. Want to help me? OK, I'll call you to make the cake. Bye."

Giggling, Ranger's wife knew Ellen Plum and Selena Manoso always enjoyed cooking in the kitchen with her little boy and both were on the e-mail list for his blog she typed for Caden as was most of Newark and Trenton. It was the 'Burg' and didn't most homes have a seven year-old who did the cooking?

The little boy replaced the receiver smiling innocently at his mother. "The food is a go. We got planning to do," he informed Stephanie standing on his toes to kiss her cheek and waving his siblings out of the room.

She looked over the list she was given switching out of the Rangeman software to 'Google'. She glanced to the corner of Ranger's home office where the cardboard Batman was standing. "Well, Batman, think we can surprise Ranger?" Not waiting for the Super Hero's answer, she began surfing the web for her part of this 'Cuban Surprise Party'.

************************************ CADEN **********************************

**August 11:**

Tank answered his ringing phone, "Yo."

"Good, you answered," the voice quietly replied. "You got your instructions for tomorrow."

"How am I going to keep Ranger occupied for most of the day?"

"You can do it. Talk about the weather. I got a back-up plan just in case. Remember Ranger-Dad can't come home until at least 3."

His bald head was shaking. Ranger never gave Tank any hint that he knew about his surprise birthday party. He was believing the boss' kids might just pull it off under the leadership of that too-smart little boy. "What's the back-up plan?"

"I can't tell you. It's a surprise. You can do this. I know you can, Tank."

"I'll do my best."

"OK and call me tomorrow when the birthday Dad leaves," Caden whispered, "for home at 3. We got to set up."

Saying softly into the telephone, the second-in-command was trying his best not to laugh, "OK, Ill call."

"Gotcha.," and there was a dial tone.

"How the HELL am I going to do this?" Tank asked his empty office.

"Do what?" Ranger asked from the doorway.

Startled, Tank glared for a second at Ranger standing there big as life. Trying to think of something quickly for a recovery he held up the morning newspaper. "The crossword puzzle. I left my dictionary at home." That sounded stupid he thought, but it was thinking fast on his feet.

The Cuban eyebrow went up. "OK," the security expert paused a moment searching his brain if he ever witnessed Tank doing a crossword puzzle. "You could try the Internet if you get stuck."

"I could, but I like the old-fashioned way."

He had no response to that. "Let's get the morning meeting going, Tank."

Getting up from his desk, Tank let out a silent sigh hoping Ranger didn't suspect anything was up and didn't ask any questions about crossword puzzles because he hated them.

****************************** Ranger's Birthday **********************************

"Happy Birthday, Ranger," Stephanie told her handsome husband against his lips before he went into the garage. His black Porsche was parked in it beside the her Mercedes SUV.

"I like the way my day started," he kissed back with a sexy eyebrow. "Bye, Baby Girl."

The blue-eyed toddler gave a hug around his neck "Daddy birthday."

"Yes it is. You and Mommy started it off just right," Ranger replied with a kiss on the little button nose. "Babe." It was a kiss Stephanie felt to the tips of her toes.

When the garage door opened, Tank's black Hummer was waiting. It was a funny thing to see most mornings the black SUV's and Porsche all heading in the same direction. Some days Lester and Bobby rode together and some Tank picked up the boss.

The only one of the six children up was Aubrey. Stephanie knew him so well, Ranger was a little disappointed no one else was up for his birthday, but the kids were 'sleeping-in' intentionally. They didn't want their Cuban father to think anything was up or give anything away. There were fresh flowers on the dining room table and he opened a gift wrapped box from Stephanie. From EBAY she purchased an old wooden decanter set a woman had purchased on her honeymoon in Cuba almost 60 years ago. For his breakfast, Caden baked the evening before 'Morning Glory' muffins with nuts, carrots, and fruit and a frittata. He squeezed mango-orange juice in his juicer. Their mother knew how busy they had been in their planning and were tired.

In the laundry room lining a shelf were the Boy Genius' small appliances that had been purchased. The kitchen counter wasn't large enough for the collection of a juicer, food processor, rice steamer and any other he saw on the Cooking Channel that Emeril, Bobby Flay, or Sandra Lee used on their shows. Caden was the envy of both his grandmothers. Stephanie or Ranger did all the cutting of vegetables and fruit for his recipes with Rachel Ray's kitchen knives. Caden cooked with their assistance since he wasn't allowed to alone. The 'Burg' had learned to actually cook more.

Ranger's parents were 'hiding' out in the extra townhouse a street back. It was purchased because Ranger's family liked visiting them in Trenton. Rangeman workers were aware they were there in case an alarm went off but no one told Ranger. It was where all the prepared food was stored. Stephanie caught Ranger looking in the refrigerator for any special food purchases Caden may haven selected to cook for his birthday dinner. All the normal stuff was in it, but nothing 'uncommon' for his birthday. He never questioned his wife, but did wonder what he would have for his birthday dinner with his family. Maybe they were going out instead.

After the morning meeting and a review of a security system upgrade, Tank and Ranger were going over some new contracts. The second-in-command glanced at his watch occasionally. He had to keep his best friend busy until 3 and it was only 10:30. What could he come up with now?

"Something wrong, Tank?" Ranger asked.

"My watch has stopped a few times. It must need a new battery. What do you think about this weather?" The words came out that Caden mentioned the day before.

"What? Is there something going on?"

Tank was panicked. What if he blew the surprise and Ranger suspected something. "No," he shook his bald head. "Lula and I wanted to take Trey and Natasha somewhere before school starts but we've had a lot of rain."

"Stephanie handles our traveling. Lula should check with my wife for ideas."

Before Tank could say another syllable, Hal came running from the control room. "Ranger, an alarm went off at 'Pleasure Treasures'."

'What?" The Bad Ass Bounty Hunter was thinking of heading home to the townhouse but now he had to go check on the problem. "Let's go, Tank. Call me when we have more details."

A few minutes later, Ranger and Tank run into the adult novelty store with weapons drawn. No police cars were in sight which was strange if an alarm was activated. Bobby and Lester were parking to follow in the two Rangemen.

"What's the problem, Lorraine?"

Lorraine Salimar, the owner who purchased the store over two years ago, was sitting in a circle of occupied chairs.

"No problem, Mr. Manoso. The ladies and I are experimenting with aromatherapy and incense to bring out the romance in Trenton. We single ladies need a whole lot of romance." She was waving her arms in the air. Not only were there some unusual scents in the air but it was slightly smokey in the building.

"Look, Girls, my grandson is here! Ain't that a pip!" Edna Mazur, tight pink curls and all jumps up from her chair. "This is Stephanie's hunk of a husband. She is always wearing a smile. He knows a thing or two about romance," Grandma chuckled elbowing Ranger and thrusting her pelvis.

"Hal, did we determine what type of alarm," he questioned into his cell phone.

"A smoke detector. Maybe it's a malfunction because no others went off."

The security expert hung his head. The incense must have set off a sensor. Of all the places and Stephanie's crazy grandmother was here.

"So what do you think of this?" Edna Mazur waved a green candle under his nose. "Does this give you some ideas for the bedroom?"

The old ladies were up with vials of oils and incense asking Tank, Bobby, and Lester their opinions of the scents.

"You know, I think you need to take something home for you and my Baby Granddaughter," Grandma was leading Ranger over to the new bath and massage oil display.

It occurred to Tank was this part of Caden's back-up plan?

It was practically an hour before Ranger and Tank were on their way back to Rangeman. The Cuban Man did purchase one of the new massage oils to try with his wife. He bought one called "True Desire".

Since they were out, Tank suggested stopping at Vinnie's for the files Connie had called about late yesterday. He checked his watch noticing Ranger was observing him. It was almost noon and he had only three hours to go. He shook his wrist. "There it goes."

Parking in front of 'Vincent Plum Bail Bonds', they saw the front was empty. No Connie painting her nails at the desk. Oh yeah, Tank remembered Lula telling him she and Connie were getting their nails done. There was a 2-for-1 coupon involved. The files would be in her bottom drawer.

Vinnie stumbled out of his office hearing the bell. "What do you want?" Stephanie's unmentionable cousin asked.

Piercing dark eyes looked over the edge of his aviator sunglasses saying, "Files."

Turning to Connie's desk, Vinnie picked up a folder off the corner handing it to Tank.

"Connie said there were three," Tank boomed. Opening it, there were photographs of her brother's wedding. "This isn't our file," he informed laying the folder back on the desk.

Vinnie turned back to his office. There was the sound of shuffling papers. "They are not on my desk. Of all the times to get her nails done!" Vinnie yelled. "She's not answering her cell phone!"

They looked on top of the file cabinet and opened the top drawer of Connie's desk not finding the files. No files on the shelf of the coat rack. Tank opened the other two desk drawers peeking in them. "Nothing in here."

Ranger had enough. "Have Connie call when the files are found. Come on, Tank," Ranger spoke from his intimidating stance rocking on his heels glaring at Vinnie. He was sweating. The Bad Ass turned and walked out the door without another word.

Tank glanced at his wrist. That wasted 30 minutes. He shook his arm for emphasis hopping in behind the steering wheel.

"Take me back to Haywood. I'm going home for lunch," Ranger grumbled.

"It's not 3 yet!" Tank screamed to himself.

He was driving in the direction of Rangeman when suddenly the Hummer swerves and backs into a parking space. "There's a jewelry store! I need a watch battery!" The large man jumps out before his best friend can say anything but give him an eyebrow. If he had hair it would be turning gray just waiting for 3 O'clock. Coming out of the jewelry store, Ranger was on his phone.

"Let's head to the Trenton Brew House. We got a tip that Perry Mason Ironside is going to show up for the free afternoon samples."

"That name is so wrong. I watched those shows as a kid and now they're on the wrong side of the law. He's the skip that a gopher chewed off his toe."

'Only in the 'Burg," Ranger mutters. This was his birthday and it was going to HELL!

"At least the location was on the other side of Trenton and that would waste some time," Tank thought looking at his watch. "It's working," he added out loud when Ranger caught him checking the time. "And a drive back across town to the police station would waste more time. There was the afternoon traffic," he kept to himself. The big guy could deal with a grumbling Ranger, but he couldn't let the Little Genius down. He loved being part of his plans. Halloween would be in two months and he had from very reliable sources, his adopted children, Caden was planning on 50's style costumes for the Zombie Walk. He had his old leather jacket waiting in his closet.

Bobby and Lester were waiting in the parking lot when the Hummer pulled up.

"No skip sighting yet," Lester informs them.

"Let's go check this out," Ranger tells his men as he adjusted his weapons on his hips and checking his cuffs in the back.

Entering in the door with a sign 'TASTING ROOM', Ranger removed his sunglasses as the room was dim and it was quite full of people tasting the afternoon brewery samples. Most of the tables and bar stools at the long bar had bodies claiming them. Bobby said something to a man pouring samples. He shook his head handing him a tray of small cups.

"It's my bounty hunter grandson!" a voice calls out, "and it's his birthday! Ain't that a pip!"

Ranger turns and there was his worst nightmare, Grandma Mazur, amongst a table of old ladies drinking the brewery offerings. There were also a lot of empty plastic cups on the table top and it had not been open too long..

"Let's give him a toast everyone! Happy Birthday, Ranger!"

The whole room including his men with plastic cups in the air yell "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RANGER!"

He just hung his Cuban head. Tank, Bobby, and Lester all got a cheer and it wasn't their birthdays.

"Come over here," Grandma motions.

The four men in head-to-toe black move with extreme caution to the table.

"You got to try these new dips the brewery is offering, here have some pretzels. I bet you like the Buffalo chicken one," she said offering Ranger a pretzel dipped in a pinkish cream.

"Take a load off," a woman from 'Pleasure Treasures' indicates to a table that was now empty beside them.

He thought for a second, if he didn't sit down with Grandma Mazur and drink beer and eat a few pretzels, she would say something to Stephanie and his wife loved her crazy grandmother. Ranger didn't like his wife upset and he was getting hungry. Besides. Grandma always had some of knowledge about the goings on in Trenton.

"Grandma," Ranger asked quietly shaking his head. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but he was. "Does Perry Mason Ironside come in here?"

'"You bet all the time. A rabid raccoon bit off his toe."

Tank butts in, "I thought is was a gopher."

"No," Grandma contradicts, "it was a rabid raccoon eating out of a garbage can. Ironside tried to shoo it away."

"Really?"

"Who cares?" Ranger hits the table with his fist in his frustration. His birthday was past the boundary of HELL and this was the second time he encountered Edna Mazur!

"I'm getting my facts straight," his best friend tells him.

"Oh, but you may not recognize him. Perry has a fascination with game show hosts. He dresses like them."

"Yesterday he was Gene Rayburn," a woman adds.

"The day before he was Wink Martindale and he showed me his winkie," Grandma chuckles clicking her false teeth. "He's not due for another twenty minutes."

Tank let out a giddy 'OH." More delays and 3 O'clock was closing in.

Ranger gave him an eyebrow.

"This is good beer," he said sipping his plastic cup. Lester had come back with a sample of the pineapple ale. Tank choked on his taste as something clicked. 'I need the john," he told the table rushing past.

It hit him. He was leaning against the men's room door laughing himself silly. It was rattling off the hinges. Grandma Mazur was Caden's back-up plan. He was beyond genius, she was the one person who scared Ranger.

So there sat Ranger, Tank, Bobby, and Lester drinking beer samples and eating pretzels with dips listening to everything going on at the funeral homes and at the Cut n' Curl. What a hot bed of activity and it was 1:30. Only 90 minutes to go and Ranger was free to fly home. Piece of cake.

The outside door opens and in steps a men wearing a blue suit with gray curly hair and mustache.

Grandma nudged her grandson-in-law, "That's him. He's Alex TrebeK today. Perry Mason or Alex, come over here!" She waved a pretzel in the air.

"Grandma, we'll handle this," Ranger advised. "He robbed Acme and several 7-11's with a Samurai sword."

"I heard he did a really nice job slicing and dicing a watermelon."

Perry stopped when Ranger yelled "Bond Enforcement!"

The suited man ducked around Lester running through a doorway with leather flaps. Ranger and his three friends followed. It led into the brewery. Each took an aisle between the big tanks of beer searching for the skip. Going low on the floor, the bounty hunter was focused searching for sprinting blue pant legs between the vats and equipment. He spotted them and ran in the same direction without a sound.

Coming around a large wooden keg, Ranger heard "SWISH!" and 'SPLAT!". He moved quickly to catch Perry Mason Ironside falling back. Grandma was blocking the doorway to the tasting room with a big, dirty, wet floor mop smiling like she won on the lottery. "I'll take 'CROOKS' for one hundred, Alex."

That took 20 minutes and it would be about another 15 to drive to the police station. Tank was taking the busier roads as he was calculating his time. "Ranger, his paperwork is at Rangeman!" More time delays.

The man in black had the game show host wanna-be cuffed. "Bobby and Lester can head to Haywood and meet us at the station with the paperwork." His wrk day was almost over to go spend what was left of his birthday and his sanity with his family.

"Hey, Grandson, can I get a ride to the beauty parlor? I need to get a little fluff for tonight," she asked attempting to run her fingers through the tight pink curls.

"Is it at my house?" Ranger was pinching his nose praying he had seen enough of Stephanie's Grandma for one day.

"There's a luau thing in the neighborhood."

"Thank God," he said in a silent prayer. "Bobby and Lester can drop you off."

Tank put Perry Mason Ironside in the Hummer. "Jeopardy's been canceled for you," he laughed. His best friend was helping Grandma and two of her old lady friends into Lester's Explorer. He was almost delirious, only 55 minutes to the 3 O'clock. He texted Bobby to take their time to the police station. The folder was on the corner of his desk.

"Ranger, what about this crazy weather we have been having," Eddie Gazarra asked while Ranger and Tank were waiting for the paperwork to get their body slip.

"What is it with the weather?" Ranger growls. He just wanted to go home.

Eddie says innocently, "I was just making conversation."

Finally, almost 40 minutes since leaving the brewery, Bobby and Lester walk into the Trenton Police Department with the file and eating ice cream cones.

The stance was immediate. "I'm waiting here for you two idiots and you come in eating ice cream!"

"We didn't have lunch." Lester explains, "just beer, pretzels, and dip. We're hungry."

Ranger snatches the folder, slaps it down, and grabs the waiting receipt. He stalks out. Ranger wanted to go home!

"Hey, Alex, how did you lose a toe?" Tank questions the skip in the holding cell before he followed the boss.

"Snapping turtle bit it while I was fishing with no shoes in the creek."

"No kidding." He looks at Ranger waiting rocking on his heels. "I wanted the facts," he said stomping behind Ranger.

Tank was so happy it was hard to contain. It was 3:05 when he parked in the garage of Rangeman. He made it! Ranger would leave and be home in about 10 minutes. Hallelujah!


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to one and all for reading and there reviews. It's been awhile and I appreciate all who took the tome to read my version of Ranger's Birthday. It amazes me how many of you still like hearing about family adventures and Caden after "How Many Children Do We Have?". Thanks so much. Lee Anne

************************* Ranger's Birthday **********************************

He sighed as the garage door went down, Ranger was home finally and could spend the last part of his birthday with his family. There had been many birthdays he never acknowledged, but now that he had a family of Stephanie and six children, he looked forward to coming home everyday to them.

Stepping up into the townhouse, he was aware instantly the townhouse was quiet. Not even Zeus, their Lakeland Terrier greeted him.

"Babe?"

"Babe?" Ranger called again from the hallway. He gave a quick glance in the laundry/Caden's lab with jars of herbs in olive oil for cooking. It was empty.

It was still like he never experienced before. The townhouse was always full of energy. Instinctively, there was a reach for his pistol. The control room never alerted him to any problems at his home. What was going on? He stopped in mid-step, his ears picked up music outside. He relaxed a little. His heart began beating again. He recognized the song as it got louder walking towards his office, 'La Bamba'. Going through his office, Ranger pulled open the French doors.

"Feliz Cumpleaños!"

He couldn't believe his eyes. There were Cuban flags, streamers, and paper lanterns moving in the afternoon breeze around the townhouse backyard. Hanging from trees in front of the back fence was a painted backdrop. It was a street scene of Havana complete with an old Chevy parked in it. The table on the deck and another in the yard were decorated with bright green tablecloths and plates of blue, red, and yellow under the sweeping umbrellas to match the tables. There was a donkey pinata dangling from a tall hook. It was a surprise party and for one who preached about being 'aware of your surroundings' he was completely unaware this it was in the works.

Standing in the middle of his children, the loves of his life, was his heart and soul, Stephanie singing 'Happy Birthday' to him. He did an intake of breath, she was wearing a white off-shoulder midriff top and ruffled skirt which many Cuban women wore for special occasions

Julie, Danni, Cassidy, and adorable Aubrey were dressed similar to their mother in colorful outfits. He chuckled at both Ben and Caden with his taped Buddy Holly glasses. They were dressed in pale blue Guayabera or Cuban Wedding shirts and straw hats with their shorts.

His mother and mother-in-law were in bright cotton dresses. Frank and his father tipped their straw hats at him was they smoked cigars in their Cuban styled shirts.

"Are you surprised?" Stephanie asked walking to her husband in her bare feet. Watching her walking to him, Ranger fell in love with her all over again. Stephanie was beyond beauty in her tropical attire.

"Completely," Ranger whispered against her lips. "How did you do this?"

"I just helped with the purchases and set up, they came up with this," Stephanie revealed to her Cuban Bad Ass.

A man of few words, he was speechless at the work his children did in the backyard. It didn't look like the townhouse backyard.

"Thank you," Ranger said hugging each one and picked up Aubrey. He walked over to stand in front of the large painted canvas. They painted colorful buildings with stores, balconies over the street, pots of flowers, and people walking around the old Chevy. It reminded him of a really big postcard.

"Me do," his little girl pointed to a corner where there were lines painted with green paint. To blend in the scribbles, some red flowers were added on them. Across the bottom was printed 'Happy Birthday, Dad. Love, Julie, Ben, Danni, Caden, Cassidy, and Aubrey."

He was choked up. "That is so pretty, Baby Girl. I love it. When we take it down, I'll hang it on the back wall in the lunch room at the office. I'll see it everyday."

"Wow, you would do that, Dad?" Julie asked. She was shocked her father would do that. They painted the Cuban scene on a large painter's drop cloth. It was the biggest thing Stephanie could find.

"Of course." Ranger was extremely proud of his children and their very large artwork.

Next he found himself in a motherly bear hug. "Happy Birthday, Ricardo!"

"Thank you, Momma."

'Happy Birthday, Son," Manuel Manoso said hugging his youngest child after his wife finally let him go.

His mother-in-law kissed Ranger's cheek and Frank patted his favorite son-in-law on the back, "Happy Birthday."

"OK," Caden runs over, "I got a schedule going here. You got to change your clothes and I got to get dinner ready with my assistants."

He remembered his day and Ranger had to ask, "Midget, did you have Tank keeping me busy all day?"

"Of course. How were we going to surprise you and I had a back-up plan if you didn't want to talk about the weather." The little boy was looking up at his muscular dad with those taped glasses and a cocked straw hat over his curls.

An eyebrow went up. "What was the back-up plan?"

"I ain't telling," he laughed taking off for the house, "cause if you don't know then you weren't paying attention."

Ranger stood there watching the running genius disappear in the townhouse thinking about Tank, the weather question, him looking at his watch numerous times, Grandma Mazur.

"Grandma was your back-up plan!" Ranger yells when all the pieces of his birthday from HELL came together. All he heard was an evil laugh from inside.

Stephanie was giggling. Even though they were married for a few years, Ranger was still wary of her sweet, little, old grandmother. "Grandma helped fill your day until we were ready?"

His Cuban eyebrows knitted together. "She set off a fire alarm at 'Pleasure Treasures' with incense and I had to smell candles and massage oils with her! I even bought some. We get a tip on a skip and there she was. I drank beer samples and ate pretzels with her until the skip strolled in!"

"My, what a fun filled day you had with Grandma, Ranger." Stephanie teased knowing how untrue it was..

Realizing everything and how he was kept in the dark by Caden's plan, even the security expert couldn't hold back his laughter, "Babe, he's too smart! I saw your Grandma twice on my birthday."

His wife held up three fingers. "Three times. She'll be popping in later after a viewing."

He hung his dark head repeating Edna Mazur's words, "There's a luau thing in the neighborhood. I should have asked what neighborhood." He resigned himself to another appearance by that crazy old lady before the night was over. The bright spot was he would be with Stephanie and she would protect him. "Come on. I'm going to change," Ranger said scooping Stephanie up in his arms and walking up on the deck.

"Hmm, Babe," Ranger was kissing his wife lifting his painted-on black T-shirt over his head.

"You really were surprised weren't you, Ranger?" She thought her husband was caught off guard which was one of the very few times since meeting him in that small diner.

"There were no unusual groceries or anything. I just figured we were going out. Babe, I love that backdrop."

"Well," Stephanie kissed Ranger back raising her arms in the air and clasping them around his neck, "you need to be aware of your surroundings. Your parents have been in the spare townhouse since yesterday. All the cooked food and decorations were stored there so you wouldn't know. Caden I know enlisted Tank's help, but I didn't know what he concocted for a back-up plan. The kids had so much fun painting the drop cloth. They were messy, but got all the paint washed off before you came home."

"They're all sneaks," he chuckled.

"Our mothers."

"Were in Cooking Heaven with the Midget," he finished for his wife. They cooked Thanksgiving dinner together and loved it with Caden.

They heard a shout, "Dinner!"

"We're coming," Ranger yelled back. "Pushy chef."

With one more kiss on his birthday lips, Stephanie purred in Ranger's ear. "I'll see you downstairs, Birthday Boy."

"Later, Babe," he whispered arching an eyebrow and nodding towards the big bed of theirs. "I have massage oil."

"Ooh la la."

On the bed laying out was his Guayabera shirt for his party. It wasn't his style or color. The shirt was a pale evergreen with braiding down the front and a straw hat. It wasn't his SEALS cap, but Ranger wouldn't disappoint his family.

He looked at himself in the mirror. The shirt was comfortable and he actually liked the color now that it was on his body. The straw hat was placed on his head with a Cuban touch and given a tug to dip it over his eyes. "Looking good, Birthday Boy," he told his reflection before going to join his family.

Coming down the steps, everyone was waiting for him. Stephanie met him by the last step with an outstretched hand. "Very sexy, Husband."

"You too. Babe," he replied brushing his fingers over her the bare skin of her back before locking fingers.

"Midget, is there any food left at the grocery store!"

The dining room table was fully extended and food was lined from end-to-end. A large birthday cake was in the middle of a sea of blue and white cupcakes with flowers and ripples on the breakfast bar. Caden was trying out his newest kitchen gadget, a cake decorating set.

"Aren't those lovely, Ricardo? Your son is will be showing Ellen and I how to make roses and all those fancy leaves."

He could only respond with 'Wonderful." Ranger was eying up his birthday feast.

The little boy comes forward with one big step with his straw hat, black taped glasses on his cherub face, and Cuban wedding shirt to begin his very serious mini-speech. "Good afternoon. Welcome to our Cuban Surprise Party. On the menu today is Mojo chicken, corn fritters, Cuban salad and bread, and shrimp casserole. For the younger eaters we have grilled cheese sticks. May I suggest you begin with grilled pineapple slices. We have freshly juiced fruit punch and for our adults Grandpa Manoso mixed in a little something extra into the blue bowl. After singing "Happy Birthday", we can partake in Tres Lech cake and cupcakes. Please enjoy," he finished giving a slow arm wave in the direction of the food topped table. "Music, Ben."

The older Manoso son clicked something on the Stephanie's I-pad, Latin music began playing from an Internet station

Ranger was smirking at his little boy. He said that perfectly without a blink of an eye or missing a word. Dapper dressed Anthony Bourdain would have been proud of one of his biggest fans. "Midget, one of these days I am going to cancel that cable, but not today. I'm hungry."

"Well, I think Grandmas and me outdid ourselves."

He picked up the little boy so they were nose to glasses giving a wolf grin. "I do too. Thank you and I know you gave all those appliances a workout."

"It's all in a days work for a birthday."

Ranger hugged him. He could drive Ranger insane because nothing got past him and he remembered everything, but without Caden, his days would be dull and so would their home. And, he was a really, really good cook.

Stephanie was laughing at Ranger he was sounding like her. He was moaning through his dinner. "Oh, this is good," he repeated with about every bite sitting at the outdoor table with his family. There parents were at the smaller one in the grass.

As dinner was finishing, one of Ranger's sisters and her family were coming in the front door followed by Tank, Lula, and their adopted children.

Both were chuckling over the day and both groaned when out the French doors waltzed Grandma is a bright pink ruffled dress to coordinate with the few pink curls peeking from under the Carmen Miranda style headdress with twinkling bananas and shaking maracas.

"Oh God, look what the wind blew in," Frank muttered.

"Grandma, you're here!" Stephanie rushed over to greet her beloved grandmother.

Ranger followed from his comfortable deck chair. "Grandma, I understand you were in on this surprise."

"I did pretty good. You never knew and in this outfit I was the talk of the funeral home. I upstaged Ned and Baby Stuey McBrew."

Stephanie asked the question for everyone, "Brothers?"

"Well sort of," Grandma explained, "they think Ned was a twin, but the other one never developed. That vanishing twin syndrome or VTS. Right here," Edna said pointing opposite her heart, "he had this growth of toes on a partial foot sticking out. It was never removed in his life and when he got excited those little nubs moved. That was cool. He named his twin 'Baby Stuey'. So when Ned died, so did the little foot. I'm getting something to eat." Grandma turned around to head in the townhouse, but stopped. Shaking her maracas, she called out, "Happy Birthday!"

His eyebrow shot up smirking at Stephanie, "Babe, only in the 'Burg'."

The front door barely shut when others of Ranger's family or Merry Men and their families were coming in to celebrate. The backyard was a mass of lawn chairs and bodies.

"It's time for cake!" Chef Caden announces as Julie, Ben, and Danni carefully carried out the large birthday cake on the tray. Ellen and Selena had cake plates of the decorated cupcakes.

She counted out thirty-seven candles placing them in the cake and Stephanie carefully lit them. Waving his hands in the air, the large group of family and friends began singing "Happy Birthday."

The dark eyes went to every face in his family resting on his wife's beautiful face, the one who gave him the life Ranger loved waking up to everyday. There were soccer games, school open houses, cabin weekends, traveling across the country in a motor home to see a giant potato, and trips to the mall to buy numerous small appliances. It was normal and downright crazy all mixed in and he Carlos Manoso couldn't be happier.

"Make a wish, Ranger," Stephanie encouraged.

Closing one eye he wished for only that this 'someday' went on and on for a very long time and one Ranger-sized breath, the candles all went out.

The yard cheered "Yeah!"

"Ha, no you didn't," a little voice called.

Four candles re-lit on the cake. It took three blows from the Cuban, but they were out.

"Midget."

With laughing, innocent blue eyes, Caden let out, "I gotta go." He takes off down the steps weaving around people and chairs with a Bad Ass hot on his heels.

A large hand caught the young boy and they were eye to black glasses staring for a second. Caden's arms were around Ranger's neck and he was hugging back his genius of a son. "Only you, Midget."

The cake tray and plates were empty. Dishes were in the dishwasher. Cassidy, Julie, and Danni with their girl cousins were doing cartwheels and back flips. Ben and his male cousins were kicking soccer balls in the common space behind the back fence. Diego, his brother with a restaurant that Ranger's family frequented, was asking Caden about his flowers and fancy leaves he decorated on the cupcakes. And, the recipes would soon be on 'The future King of the Universe's' blog when Stephanie typed them.

The pinata was opened with one Ranger strike and the candy gobbled up. The paper lanterns, solar lights, and white lights strung along the fence tops were glowing. The furniture on the deck was moved to the sides opening up to a dance floor with Latin Music. There was where Ranger spent the last of his birthday dancing with Stephanie. A portion of his day was nothing but 'Burg' crazy, but the afternoon and evening were perfect. It was where he wanted to be, with Stephanie, Julie, Ben, Danni, Caden, Cassidy, and Aubrey. His family. It was a really good birthday for a certain Cuban security expert, all around Bad Ass, and more importantly, family man.

The End.

Happy Birthday, Ranger


End file.
